Off-road accessory light rack

Abstract

A light rack assembly for off-road vehicles capable of surviving high vibration loads generated in off-road racing. Each assembly comprises at least one headlight sub-assembly having a center of gravity that, when mounted to the frame of the light rack assembly, resides in a spherical zone defined by the effective radius of the light and the mounting points of the light housing. Each light is isolated from vibration of the vehicle and can be individually adjusted to the preference of the driver without tools. The light rack assembly can be quickly removed from the vehicle, or be mounted such that the assembly can be rotated to adjust the light beams while the vehicle is in motion and rotated to retract the assembly to protect the lights when not in use.

1. A light rack assembly adapted to be mounted to a off-road vehicle, the light rack assembly comprising:
 at least one headlight sub-assembly comprising;
 a) a light housing having three mounting points, two of the mounting points on opposed ends of the light housing defining a first centerline between the two mounting points, the third mounting point being on the housing and defining a second centerline between the third mounting point and the first centerline, the second centerline passing through the third mounting point and intersecting the first centerline at a center point; 
 b) a headlight reflector mounted in the light housing the headlight reflector having an effective radius, 
 c) a bulb mounted in the headlight reflector, 
 wherein the headlight sub-assembly has a center of gravity residing within a spherical zone having a spherical radius about the center point, the spherical radius having a length being one third the effective radius, the headlight reflector and the bulb providing a beam of light when the bulb is energized; 
 
 a frame adapted to be mounted to the off-road vehicle, the frame comprising an upper member integral with a lower member defining at least one peripheral cell for each headlight sub-assembly, the peripheral cell having three mounting tabs in communication with the mounting points of the light housing, the mounting tabs having slots adapted to allow for adjusting the direction of the beam of light; 
 a plurality of light adjusters in communication with the mounting tabs of the frame and the mounting points of the light housing, the light adjusters having a tight position for securing the headlight sub-assembly to the frame and a loose position for adjusting the direction of the beam of light, at least one light adjuster having a knob that can be turned without tools between the tight position and the loose position for adjusting the beam of light; and, 
 a means for isolating vibration between the headlight sub-assembly and the frame. 
 
   
   
     2. The light rack assembly of  claim 1  wherein the upper member and the lower member of the frame form a circular tube member, the frame further comprising a web frame support integral with the lower member of the circular tube member, the web frame support having mounting holes for attaching the light rack assembly to the off-road vehicle. 
   
   
     3. The light rack assembly of  claim 1  wherein the headlight sub-assembly further comprises a light retainer ring and a lens, the light retainer ring mounted to the light housing and retaining the lens and the headlight reflector in the light housing. 
   
   
     4. The light rack assembly of  claim 1  wherein the bulb is a HID bulb and the headlight sub-assembly further comprises a ballast box mounted inside the light housing for energizing the HID bulb. 
   
   
     5. The light rack assembly of  claim 1  wherein all the light adjusters have a knob that can be turned without tools between the tight position and the loose position for adjusting the beam of light. 
   
   
     6. The light rack assembly of  claim 1  wherein the light adjuster having the knob is in communication with the third mounting point and adjusts the direction of the beam of light by rotating the headlight sub-assembly about the second centerline. 
   
   
     7. The light rack assembly of  claim 6 , wherein the means for isolating vibration between the headlight sub-assembly and the frame for the light adjuster having the knob comprises an isolation mount, the isolation mount having two opposed threaded ends, one end fastened to the third mounting point of the housing and the other end received in the slot of the mounting tab and engaging the knob. 
   
   
     8. The light rack assembly of  claim 7  wherein the mounting tab engaging the knob has a curvature in radial alignment with the center point, and the slot of the mounting tab having sufficient length to provide at least about 22 degrees of rotation of the headlight sub-assembly about the second centerline. 
   
   
     9. The light rack assembly of  claim 8  wherein the two opposed mounting points of the light housing are threaded for receiving corresponding light adjusters, the means for isolating vibration between the headlight sub-assembly and the frame for the two opposed mounting points comprises a grommet in communication with the two opposed threaded mounting points of the light housing, and the corresponding light adjusters comprise a threaded fastener which securely holds the corresponding mounting tabs against the grommets when in the tight position. 
   
   
     10. The light rack assembly of  claim 8  wherein the two opposed mounting points of the light housing are through holes and the corresponding light adjusters comprise a flanged retaining nut, a grommet, and a threaded fastener, the grommets received in the through holes of the two opposed mounting points, the flanged retaining nuts having an integral bushing portion received in the grommets, and the threaded fasteners securely holding the corresponding mounting tabs against the grommets when engaging the flanged retaining nuts in the tight position. 
   
   
     11. The light rack assembly of  claim 10  wherein the light adjuster threaded fasteners are mounted to knobs that can be turned without tools between the tight position and the loose position for adjusting the beam of light. 
   
   
     12. The light rack assembly of  claim 1 , further comprising;
 at least one mounting bracket releasably attached to the frame and adapted to be attached to the off-road vehicle; and, 
 means for isolating vibration between the off-road vehicle and the frame. 
 
   
   
     13. The light rack assembly of  claim 12  further comprising:
 at least one strut having opposed ends, one end of the strut attached to the upper member of the frame and the other end attached to the off-road vehicle, the lower member having at least two dowels in communication with the means for isolating vibration between the off-road vehicle and the frame; and, 
 the means for isolating vibration between the off-road vehicle and the frame comprises each mounting bracket having an opening receiving a grommet, the grommets having an opening for receiving the dowels of the lower member of the frame and sized to provide an interference fit of at least about 20% between the dowels and the grommets. 
 
   
   
     14. The light rack assembly of  claim 12  further comprising:
 at least one strut having opposed ends, one end of the strut attached to the upper member of the frame and the other end of the strut attached to a dowel, the lower member having at least two dowels in communication with the means for isolating vibration between the off-road vehicle and the frame; and, 
 the means for isolating vibration between the vehicle and the frame further comprises each mounting bracket having an opening receiving a grommet, the grommets having an opening for receiving the dowels of the struts and the dowels of the lower member, the grommets sized to provide an interference fit of at least about 20% between the dowels and the grommets. 
 
   
   
     15. The light rack assembly of  claim 14  wherein the ends of the strut are pivotally attached respectively to the upper member of the frame and the dowel. 
   
   
     16. The light rack assembly of  claim 15  wherein the pivotal attachment of the strut to the upper member of the frame comprises a heim joint and a fastener, the fastener respectively engaging the upper member of the frame. 
   
   
     17. The light rack assembly of  claim 16  wherein each dowel is secured in its respective grommet by a lock pin engaging a through hole in each dowel. 
   
   
     18. The light rack assembly of  claim 12  further comprising:
 means for attaching the mounting brackets to the off-road vehicle. 
 
   
   
     19. The light rack assembly of  claim 18 , the means for attaching the mounting brackets to the off-road vehicle comprises welding the mounting brackets to the vehicle. 
   
   
     20. The light rack assembly of  claim 18 , the means for attaching the mounting brackets to the off-road vehicle comprises a clamp member and at least two fasteners, the mounting bracket and the clamp member adapted to engage a frame member of the off-road vehicle, the fasteners attaching the clamp member to the mounting bracket and securely holding the engagement of the clamp member and mounting bracket to the frame member. 
   
   
     21. A light rack assembly adapted to be mounted to a off-road vehicle, the light rack assembly comprising:
 at least one headlight sub-assembly comprising;
 a) a light housing having three mounting points, two of the mounting points on opposed ends of the light housing defining a first centerline between the two mounting points, the third mounting point being on the housing and defining a second centerline between the third mounting point and the first centerline, the second centerline passing through the third mounting point and intersecting the first centerline at a center point; 
 b) a headlight reflector mounted in the light housing the headlight reflector having an effective radius, 
 c) a bulb mounted in the headlight reflector, 
 
 
     wherein the headlight sub-assembly has a center of gravity residing within a spherical zone having a spherical radius about the center point, the spherical radius having a length being one third the effective radius, the headlight reflector and the bulb providing a beam of light when the bulb is energized;
 a frame comprising an upper member integral with a lower member defining at least one peripheral cell for each headlight sub-assembly, the peripheral cell having three mounting tabs in communication with the mounting points of the light housing, the mounting tabs having slots adapted to allow for adjusting the direction of the beam of light, the lower member pivotally attached to a frame member of the off-road vehicle; 
 a plurality of light adjusters in communication with the mounting tabs of the frame and the mounting points of the light housing, the light adjusters having a tight position for securing the light housing to the frame and a loose position for adjusting the direction of the beam of light, at least one light adjuster having a knob that can be turned without tools between the tight position and the loose position for adjusting the beam of light; 
 a means for isolating vibration between the headlight sub-assembly and the frame; and, 
 a means for vertically adjusting the beam of light of the light rack assembly by rotating the frame about the pivotal attachment of the lower member to the frame member of the vehicle. 
 
   
   
     22. The light rack assembly of  claim 21  wherein:
 the means for vertically adjusting the beam of light of the light rack assembly comprises a linear actuator having opposed ends, one end pivotally attached to a second frame member of the off-road vehicle and the other end pivotally attached to the upper member of the frame; and, 
 wherein the linear actuator can be energized to rotate the light rack assembly and thereby vertically adjust the beam of light to the preference of a driver of the off-road vehicle when the vehicle is in motion. 
 
   
   
     23. The light rack assembly of  claim 22  wherein the linear actuator can be energized to rotate the light rack assembly at least about 45 degrees when the light is not in use and thereby protect the light from damage when the off-road vehicle is in motion. 
   
   
     24. The light rack assembly of  claim 21  wherein the means for vertically adjusting the beam of light of the light rack assembly comprises:
 a lever having a distal and a proximal end, the lever pivotally attached to a second frame member of the off-road vehicle at a location on the lever between the distal and the proximal end; 
 a link member having opposed ends, one end pivotally attached to the distal end of the lever and the other end pivotally attached to the upper member of the frame; 
 a linear actuator having opposed ends, one end pivotally attached to a second frame member of the off-road vehicle and the other end pivotally attached to the upper member of the frame; and, 
 wherein the linear actuator can be energized to rotate the light rack assembly and thereby vertically adjust the beam of light to the preference of a driver of the off-road vehicle when the vehicle is in motion. 
 
   
   
     25. The light rack assembly of  claim 24  wherein the link member is V-shaped having a central end and two opposed ends, the opposed ends of the V-shaped link member pivotally attached to the upper member of the frame and the central end of the V-shaped link member pivotally attached to the distal end of the lever. 
   
   
     26. The light rack assembly of  claim 21  wherein the means for vertically adjusting the beam of light of the light rack assembly comprises:
 a lever having a distal and a proximal end, the lever pivotally attached to a second frame member of the off-road vehicle at a location on the lever between the distal and the proximal end; 
 a link member having opposed ends, one end pivotally attached to the distal end of the lever and the other end pivotally attached to the upper member of the frame; 
 wherein the light rack assembly can be rotated and thereby vertically adjust the beam of light to the preference of a driver of the off-road vehicle when the vehicle is in motion by manually rotating the proximal end of the lever. 
 
   
   
     27. The light rack assembly of  claim 26  wherein the means for vertically adjusting the beam of light of the light rack assembly further comprises:
 a circumferential locking member attached to the second frame member of the off-road vehicle and in communication with the proximal end of the lever; 
 a means for latching the proximal end of the lever to the locking member to secure the position of the light rack assembly and vertical adjustment of the beam of light to the preference of the driver. 
 
   
   
     28. The light rack assembly of  claim 27  wherein the link member is V-shaped having a central end and two opposed ends, the opposed ends of the V-shaped link member pivotally attached to the upper member of the frame and the central end of the V-shaped link member pivotally attached to the distal end of the lever.